InternationalInvestment & Trade

Foreign investors may enter Nigeria through acquisitions, new subsidiaries, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, project companies, distribution structures or other commercial models.

We support investors on entry strategy, corporate establishment, ownership and governance, transaction documentation, due diligence, commercial contracts, regulatory interfaces, financing and implementation.

Nigeria's investment framework generally permits foreign participation in enterprises subject to the statutory negative list and any sector-specific restrictions, licences or approvals. The applicable position should be confirmed for the particular activity rather than treated as a universal rule.

Investment incentives and tax reliefs are also subject to statutory eligibility and administrative requirements. They should be assessed against the current framework and should not be assumed to apply merely because an investment falls within a particular sector.

Nigerian and African businesses increasingly pursue growth through acquisitions, subsidiaries, joint ventures, distribution networks, technology partnerships and other investments outside their home jurisdictions.

Paraphoenix can support the Nigerian-law and commercial aspects of outbound transactions and coordinate with carefully selected independent local counsel in the destination jurisdiction.

We focus on maintaining coherence between the home-country corporate and financing arrangements, the destination-market investment structure, transaction documents, governance and ongoing commercial relationships.

Cross-border acquisitions and joint ventures require careful coordination of corporate, regulatory, financing, tax, employment, data, competition and commercial workstreams.

Working with our Corporate, Commercial & M&A practice, we support transaction structuring, due diligence, acquisition and investment documents, shareholder and governance arrangements, conditions precedent, regulatory interfaces, commercial agreements and implementation.

Where securities or capital-market regulation is engaged, the Investments and Securities Act 2025 and current Securities and Exchange Commission requirements should be considered together with any sector-specific approval regime.

International business relationships may involve sale and supply, distribution, agency, services, technology, licensing, outsourcing, strategic partnerships and long-term framework arrangements.

We advise on governing law, delivery, title and risk, Incoterms, pricing and payment, currency, performance, acceptance, warranty, compliance, sanctions, data, intellectual property, limitation of liability, force majeure, termination and dispute resolution.

The objective is to produce contracts that reflect how goods, services, information and money will actually move between the parties and across borders.

Import and export transactions require coordination between commercial contracts and the customs, product and trade rules governing the movement of goods.

Nigeria's customs framework addresses tariff classification, valuation, origin, preferential treatment and evidence of origin. Current Nigeria Customs Service systems also include digital trade-facilitation tools, advance rulings and the evolving National Single Window environment.

We support the legal and contractual aspects of international trade, including Incoterms, import and export responsibilities, customs and product-regulatory interfaces, documentary obligations, supplier and distributor arrangements, sanctions and trade compliance.

Paraphoenix does not act as a customs broker, freight forwarder or tariff-classification specialist. Where technical customs classification, valuation or logistics services are required, we coordinate with appropriately qualified professionals.

The African Continental Free Trade Area creates a framework for deeper intra-African trade, but commercial benefit depends on the applicable tariff schedule, rules of origin, customs procedures, product requirements and implementation position for the goods and countries concerned.

Nigeria Customs Service materials recognise AfCFTA preferential origin within the customs framework, and current implementation work includes further trade-facilitation initiatives.

We support businesses considering African market expansion by analysing the legal and commercial structure of supply, distribution, investment and cross-border contracting and by coordinating jurisdiction-specific advice where required.

We do not assume that a transaction qualifies automatically for preferential tariff treatment merely because both countries participate in AfCFTA. Eligibility must be confirmed for the particular goods, origin and applicable implementation arrangements.

Cross-border investment depends not only on ownership but also on how capital enters the business, how financing is documented and how dividends, proceeds and other returns may be transferred.

Working with our Banking, Finance & Capital practice, we support financing and commercial structures connected with international investment, including receivables, equipment finance and other transaction-linked arrangements.

Nigeria's investment and foreign-exchange frameworks contain protections and mechanisms relevant to capital and returns, but the practical requirements depend on the transaction, documentation, authorised channels and then-current regulatory environment.

We therefore avoid treating repatriation or foreign-exchange availability as automatic and coordinate current banking, tax and regulatory requirements for the particular investment.

International investment and trade can engage sector regulation, anti-bribery and corruption, AML/CFT, sanctions, export controls, competition, third-party risk, data protection, human rights and supply-chain compliance.

Working with our Regulatory, Compliance & Investigations practice, we support risk assessment, due diligence, contractual controls, governance, investigations and remediation.

Where foreign sanctions, export-control or other jurisdiction-specific rules apply, we coordinate with appropriately qualified local counsel and specialist advisers.

Cross-border growth often depends on suppliers, distributors, resellers, agents, logistics providers and other commercial partners.

We advise on sourcing, supply, distribution and agency structures, including territory, exclusivity, performance, Incoterms, import responsibilities, product compliance, pricing interfaces, data, audit, sanctions, anti-bribery, termination and transition.

For regulated products or services, route-to-market design should be aligned with the relevant licensing, product, sector and local-partner requirements.

International transactions should address governing law, forum, arbitration, interim relief, service, evidence, enforcement and the location of counterparties and assets before problems occur.

Working with our Dispute Resolution, Arbitration & Litigation practice, we support cross-border dispute strategy, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation and enforcement coordination where appropriate.

Investment exit may also require corporate, regulatory, tax, financing and contractual workstreams to be coordinated across jurisdictions.